Display rack

ABSTRACT

A display rack having a front base member, and L-shaped side frame assemblies pivotally connected to the front base member. The side frame assemblies may be resolved to positions along the forward face of the front base member for rack shipment and storage, and may be revolved to positions extending perpendicularly rearwardly from the front base member for rack assembly. A removable bottom shelf member serves to maintain the side frame assemblies and the front base member in rack assembled position, a rectangular vertical display board is engageable in the side frame assemblies and the shelf member, and a cap member is releasably secured across the upper ends of the side frame assemblies.

United States Patent [72] Inventors Andrew Polemes Oak Lawn; Bert S. Ostring, Olympia Fielrk; Nick Churn, Calumet City, all of, 111. [21] Appl. No. 783,600 [22] Filed Dec. 13, 1968 [45] Patented Aug. 10, 1971 [73] Assignee Stampco Metal Products Company ChlcagoJll.

[54] DISPLAY RACK I Claim, 11 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl. 108/111, 108/108, 108/157 [51] Int. Cl. A471) 57/24 [50] FieldofSearch 108/111, 157,108,107, 211/177, 178, 148; 248/167; 297/42 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,986,078 l/1935 Spang 108/111 2,562,497 7/1951 Klein 108/107 5/1953 Allen 248/167 Primary Examiner-Francis K. Zugel Artomeyl. J. Crickenberger ABSTRACT: A display rack having a front base member, and L-shaped side frame assemblies pivotally connected to the front base member. The side frame assemblies may be resolved to positions along the forward face of the front base member for rack shipment and storage, and may be revolved to positions extending perpendicularly rearwardly from the front base member for rack assembly. A removable bottom shelf member serves to maintain the side frame assemblies and the front base member in rack assembled position, a rectangular vertical display board is engageable in the side frame assemblies and the shelf member, and a cap member is releasably secured across the upper ends of the side frame assemblies.

PATENTEI) mm 0197: 3.598. 066

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DISPLAY RACK BACKGROUND OF TH E INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains generally to a knockdowntype display rack of the character used in hardware stores, supermarkets and the like for displaying various goods and merchandise, for example, in prepackaged form.

2. Description of the Prior Art A conventional display rack of the foregoing class is comprised of a multisection main upright and base frame, a vertical display board from which items may be suspended, and shelves on which items may be supported. For convenience in handling and economy of shipping, the frame sections, display board and shelves are shipped from the fabricator to the ultimate user in knocked-down or disassembled condition. At the point of use, before the display board and shelves can be mounted in position, the several frame sections must be bolted together. This operation is inconvenient, awkward and time consuming because the frame sections must be balanced and aligned while bolts are inserted and nuts fastened. Additionally, the assembly of the rack by one person is troublesome, the tools required for assembly may not be readily at hand, and assembly is frequently hindered by the shortage or loss of necessary bolts and nuts. In the described circumstances, the intended user of the rack is sometimes discouraged from assembling the same, and may simply leave the disassembled rack in permanent storage.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The primary object of the present invention is to provide a knocked-down display rack which may be readily assembled in minimum time by one person alone, without difficult balancing of the components for alignment, without the use of bolts and nuts or other separate auxiliary securing means, and without the use of assembly tools.

In accordance with this object, the display rack of the present invention has a front base member, and a pair of side frame assemblies each including a side base member and a verticalcolumn. The side frame assemblies are pivotally connected on vertical axes to the front base member and may be revolved to positions along the forward face of the front base member. The thus folded up main frame, along with a cap member, a display board and shelves, are conveniently and compactly arranged in a carton for shipment.

At the point of use, after removal of the components from the shipping carton, the side frame assembliesare revolved through an approximate 270 arc to positions extending perpendicularly rearwardly from the front base member, and the main frame then stands erect by reason of the resultant C- shaped front and side base members. A bottom shelf member is disposed on the front and side base members. This shelf member has side apron portions engaging the outboard faces of the side base members and has recessed rear corners interfitting with the vertical columns for maintaining the side frame assemblies and the front base member in rack assembled relation. Next, a rectangular vertical display board is engaged in the vertical columns and in a channel portion formed along the rear end of the bottom shelf member. Then ahorizontal cap member, which receives the upper edge of the display board, is releasably secured at its ends in the upper ends of the vertical columns. Finally, additional shelf members may be positioned at selected vertical locations along the vertical columns. The ease with which the foregoing display fl ck may be assembled in accordance with the primary object set forth above promotes and encourages actual assembly and use of the rack by the intended user.

Brief Description of the Drawings FIG. I is a perspective view of the display rack of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged foreshortened elevational view of the main upright and base frame of the rack of FIG. I, with the side frame assemblies being shown in folded over position;

FIGS. 3 and 4 are perspective views of the lower portion of the main frame of FIG. 2, with the side frame assemblies being shown in various revolved positions;

FIGS 5,6 and 7 are a series of horizontal sectional views, on an enlarged scale, of the lower portion of one end of the main frame of FIG. 2 showing the side frame assembly at that end in different revolved positions;

FIG. 8 is a partial foreshortened exploded view of the rack of FIG. 1',

FIG. 9 is a foreshortened vertical sectional view, on an en larged scale, taken substantially along the line 9-9 in FIG. I, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 10 is a foreshortened vertical sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken substantially along the line 10-10 in FIG. I, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIG. I1 is a foreshortened enlarged view, partly in section and partly in elevation, taken substantially along the line 11-11 in FIG. I, looking in the direction indicated by the ar- I'OWS.

Description of the Preferred'Embodiment Referring now to FIG. I, there is indicated generally by the reference numeral I2 a display rack incorporating the principles of the present invention. This rack is adapted to be used in hardware stores, supermarkets and the like for displaying various goods and merchandise, for example, in prepackaged form. The display rack I2 includes a main upright and base frame 14, a rectangular display board 16, an elongated horizontal cap member 18, a bottom shelf member 20, and a plurality of additional vertically spaced shelf members 22ad.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the main frame 14 is comprised of an elongated horizontal front base member 24 having verti cal end portions and presenting a forward face, and a pair of L-shaped side frame assemblies 26 and 28. The side frame assembly 26 includes an elongated horizontal side base member 30 having vertical end portions, and an elongated vertical column 32 secured at its lower end to the side base member 30 adjacent one end portion thereof. Correspondingly, the side frame assembly 28 includes an elongated horizontal side base member 34 having vertical end portions, and an elongated vertical column 36 secured at its lower end to the side base member 34 adjacent one end portion thereof. The vertical columns 32 and 36 are in the form of channel members provided with interior vertical guide strips 37, with a series of vertically spaced apertures 38 therealong, and with latch keepers 40 (FIG. 2) at the upper ends thereof. Hinge means 42, for example in the form of piano hinges, provide vertical pivotal connections between the other end portions of the side base members 30 and 34 and the opposed end portions of the front base member 24.

The display board 16 (FIG. I), from which items may be suspended for display, is preferably formed in a conventional manner with a plurality of vertically and horizontally spaced perforations 44 adapted to receive hangers and hooks for packages and other display items. The cap member I8, which is in the form of a channel member, is provided with spring latches 46 (FIGS. 8 and 9) releasably engageable in the latch keepers 40, and with an interior longitudinal guide flange 45 which receives the upper edge of the display board I6 (FIG. III). The bottom shelf member 20, which is supported on the front and side basc members 24, 30 and 34 (FIG. I) has side apron portions 48 (FIG. 9) engaging the outboard faces of the side base members 30 and 34, recessed rear corners 50 (FIG. 8) interfitting with the vertical columns 32 and 36, and a channel portion 5 2 (FIG. I0) along the rear end thereoffor receiving the lower edge of the display board 16. The additional shelf members 22a-d, which may be horizontal or inclined slightly downwardly, are provided with rear finger portions 54 (FIG, engageable in the column apertures 38 along the side edges of the display board 16 (FIG. 11

The display rack 12 is designed so that it may be shipped in knocked-down form from the fabricator to the ultimate user. In this connection, after the components of the rack have been fabricated, the main frame 14, display board 16, cap member 18, bottom shelf member 20, and additional shelf members 22ad are placed in a suitable shipping carton or box. To accommodate shipment, the hinge members 42 permit the side frame assemblies 26 and 28 to be revolved to positions along the forward face of the front base member 24 as shown in FIG. 2. With this arrangement, the bulk of the shipping carton or box is maintained at a minimum.

At the point of use, and after the described components of the rack have been removed from the shipping carton, the main frame 14 is disposed vertically as shown in FIG. 2. The

'side frame assembly 26 is then revolved from the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 5, through the successive intermediate positions shown in FIGS. 3, 4 (solid lines) and 6, and to the position shown in FIG. 4 (dotted lines) and FIG. 7. In a similar manner, the sideframe assembly 28 is revolved from the position shown in FIG. 2, through the intermediate position shown in FIG. 3 (solid lines), and to the position shown in FIG. 3 (dotted lines) and FIG. 4. When the side frame assemblies 26 and 28 are thus revolved to positions extending perpendicularly rearwardly from the front base memher'24, the main frame 14 'is sufficiently stable to stand erect for purposes of subsequent rack assembly without any additional support therefor.

The bottom shelf member is then positioned over the front and side base members 24, 30 and 34, as shown in FIG. 8, and moved downwardly onto these base members. The shelf aprons 48, which engage the outboard faces of the side base members 30 and 34, and the recessed shelf corners 50, which interfit with vertical columns 32 and 36, maintain and stabilize the side frame assemblies 26 and 28 and the front base member 24 in rack assembled relation. Next, the display board 16 is moved downwardly in the columns 32 and 36 along the guide strips 37 until the lower edge thereof is engaged in the bottom shelf channel 52 as shown in FIG. I0, and the cap member 18 is positioned across the upper ends of the columns 32 and 36 as shown in FIG. 8 and moved downwardly to the position shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 with the guide flange 45 engaged behind the board 16 and with the spring latches 46 engaged in the latch keepers 40. Finally, the additional shelf members 22a-d may be mounted in position by inserting the finger portions 54 thereof through the column apertures 38 at the desired heights. The assembled rack, ready for display purposes, is shown in FIG. I.

The rack 12 may be disassembled by following the steps outlined above in a reverse order. That is, the additional shelf members 22 ad, the cap member 18, the display board I6 and the bottom shelf member 20 are first removed, and then the side frame assemblies 26 and 28 are revolved back to the position shown in FIG. 2. In this disassembled form, the various components of the display rack may be conveniently and compactly stored until subsequent use is desired. By reason of the construction of the rack I2 it may be readily provided in knocked-down form for convenience in handling and economy of shipping. Additionally, by reason of the construction. and the manner of assembly, the rack I2 may be easily assem bled in minimum time by one person alone, without difficult balancing of the components for alignment during assembly, without the use of any bolts and nuts or other separate auxilia ry securing means, and without the use of any assembly tools. Also, because of the noted convenience in handling and assembly, actual assembly and use of the rack by the intended user is encouraged.

While there has been shown and described a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various rearrangements and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

I. A display rack comprising a from base member,

first and second side frame assemblies, each including a side base member and a vertical column member,

hinge means connecting the side base members of said first and second side frame assemblies to said front base member, whereby said side frame assemblies may be stored in collapsed position along the front face of said front base member and opened through an approximate 270 arc to positions extending perpendicularly rearwardly from the front base member for rack assembly,

a bottom shelf member supported in unattached relation on said front and side base members, said shelf member having side apron portions engaging said side base members and having recessed rear corners interfitting with said vertical column members,

a rectangular display board,

guide means on said vertical column members for slidably receiving the side edges of said display board,

a channel portion along the rear end ofsaid shelf member in alignment with the guide means for receiving the lower edge of said display board, and

a horizontal cap member attached to and extending between the vertical column members for receiving the upper edge of said display board. 

1. A display rack comprising a front base member, first and second side frame assemblies, each including a side base member and a vertical column member, hinge means connecting the side base members of said first and second side frame assemblies to said front base member, whereby said side frame assemblies may be stored in collapsed position along the front face of said front base member and opened through an approximate 270* arc to positions extending perpendicularly rearwardly from the front base member for rack assembly, a bottom shelf member supported in unattached relation on said front and side base members, said shelf member having side apron portions engaging said side base members and having recessed rear corners interfitting with said vertical column members, a rectangular display board, guide means on said vertical column members for slidably receiving the side edges of said display board, a channel portion along the rear end of said shelf member in alignment with the guide means for receiving the lower edge of said display board, and a horizontal cap member attached to and extending between the vertical column members for receiving the upper edge of said display board. 